Southern Bluebells boss appeals for fans’ backing in clash with table toppers

DARREN Mullings and his club comrades are turning to supporter power in the hope of successfully pulling Yate Town through an acid test of their credentials again tomorrow.

- Simon PARKINSON

Yate Town boss Darren Mullings

The Bluebells’ annual community day falls on the occasion of Premier South pacesetters Walton & Hersham’s visit to South West Interiors Stadium, providing potentially the sternest challenge yet for a Yate outfit eager to stretch their unbeaten home record since the start to seven games.

“It’s a ‘pay what you want’ at the gate opportunity for the spectators, and we're urging as many people as possible from the local community to come and watch us pit our wits against the league leaders,’ Bluebells boss Mullings said.

“I was pleased with the better crowd (429) we had in for the Berkhamsted game last Saturday. We had the mascots back and it was good to see a lot of younger faces.

“At the moment there is no tougher test than Walton & Hersham in our league. We need to be at it from start to finish; but we’ve done well at home over a long period of time and hopefully that will continue”

Yate find themselves 18th in the table following their goalless stalemate with Berkhamsted and Tuesday night's 4-1 defeat at Wimborne Town.

Mullings is acutely aware that while his team have lost all six of their away outings, four of their six home appearances, all without loss by stark contrast, have ended in draws, three of them goalless.

“We're not quite where we want to be at this time,’ he accepted. “But the margins in games have generally been extremely fine.

“Many’s been the time we could and should have taken more points. Saturday against Berkhamsted was there for the taking for us, and again we were frustrated we didn’t test their keeper more.

“While we're not conceding many goals (at home) either, we feel we know where we need to improve; and being braver, more clinical, in the final third is one of them”